Shielding Effectiveness Testing

Laboratory testing and on-site testing capability

EMC Bayswater can perform NATA accredited Shielding Effectiveness Testing to MIL-STD 285 & IEE STD 299. Shielding Effectiveness Testing is carried out to assess the attenuation (suppression) performance of shielding installed in a building or that of shielded enclosures used for scientific, medical research and other purposes.

EMC Bayswater are NATA accredited for MIL-STD-285 & IEE 299 shielding effectiveness testing and have perform many shielding tests both in our fully equipped laboratory and on site at various private, commercial, and military work places.

We can measure magnetic fields, electric fields, plane waves, etc. The most widely accepted shielding effectiveness standards are MIL-STD-285 and IEEE std 299. Our shielding effectiveness frequency capability range is from 10kHz to 40GHz usually with a dynamic range over approximately 100dB.

We can test a range of materials individually such as Lycore magnetic panels, absorbing sheets, penetrations, patch panels, filters, windows and more.

EMC Baywater Accredited Shielding Testing Standards

N

MIL-STD-285

N

IEE 299

What are electromagnetic shielding and shielding effectiveness?

Electromagnetic radiation consists of coupled magnetic fields (H field) and electric fields (E field) components. For many purposes, these magnetic and electric fields are required to be excluded or contained within an environment or area such as a shielded enclosure. Effective Uses of Electromagnetic Shielding would include telecommunication equipment racks, MRI, EMC testing chambers as found at EMC Bayswater.

Exclusion of RF electromagnetic radiation

The exclusion aspect of why electromagnetic radiation is required to be shielded could be due to the requirement to measure in a controlled electromagnetic environment. A good example of this is EMC testing where ambient emissions from transmitters such as FM radio, TV broadcast, cellular and other data transmission services etc. These intentional signals are required to be attenuated to a level that allows the determination of compliance of a product against the required EMC product or generic standard.

Containment of RF electromagnetic radiation

The containment aspect of why electromagnetic radiation is required to be shielded could be due to the generation of RF for testing purposes etc that could cause interference to nearby equipment and RF services. This can help to avoid interference with more sensitive equipment that may be in the vicinity.

How does electromagnetic shielding work and what affects the shielding effectiveness?

Shielded enclosures can fall under the banner of many naming conventions such as ‘Faraday cage’, ‘screened room’, ‘shielded enclosure’, ‘indoor open area test site (iOATS)’, ‘EMC chamber’. They are all essentially a means to eliminate or attenuate an electromagnetic source between the inner and the outer of the enclosure.

How does electromagnetic shielding work and what affects the shielding effectiveness?

Shielded enclosures can fall under the banner of many naming conventions such as ‘Faraday cage’, ‘screened room’, ‘shielded enclosure’, ‘indoor open area test site (iOATS)’, ‘EMC chamber’. They are all essentially a means to eliminate or attenuate an electromagnetic source between the inner and the outer of the enclosure.

What affects the shielding effectiveness?

Several factors limit the shielding capability of these enclosures. Such factors include the build quality ensuring good continuity between panels especially at any mechanical joints. Although less flexible welded chambers can sometimes have an advantage in this area over modularly built chambers. Any break in the surface of the chamber is a potential ‘Leak’ with smaller chambers the actual position of the leak can sometimes be difficult to locate due to the RF reflecting constructively and destructively within the enclosure/cabinet itself. Included in high-risk areas for leaks or weaknesses within an enclosure or chamber is any door or entry including air vents and cable penetration panels.

Shielding effectiveness of chamber doors

Doors come in many forms with various different mechanisms for closing and making contact between the two metal faces. The most common door used is a knife edge door that uses 1 or more channel on the chamber/enclosure wall. The doorway that is lined with RF gasket (usually Beryllium Copper and Stainless Steel Gaskets called finger stock) and an on the door a corresponding number of ‘knife-edges’ or strips that fit into the channels when the door is closed. Another older method is a compression door that utilizes the compression of the door and the door frame of the chamber wall and the RF finger-stock. This method is not usually suitable for high-frequency chambers and are more prone to damage and require more maintenance on the whole.

Shielding effectiveness of openings such as penetration panels, air vents, wave-guides and holes

Another common weak are for shielding effectiveness is any penetration including panels for cables, wave-guides, air vents etc. The size of any opening either round, square or slot will have an effect upon the chamber performance the is dependent upon the size of the opening itself. The larger the openings the more of the RF spectrum will be allowed to pass. The lower cut-off frequency based upon using the equations and theory as described on page 90 of “Ministry of Defence Standard 59-411 Part 5, Issue 1 Publication Date 23 January 2007”.

For round apertures: fc = (6900*25.4)/length = 175260/length (MHz)

For square apertures: fc = (5900*25.4)/length = 149860/length (MHz)

How do we test the shielding effectiveness of a chamber or enclosure?

Shielding effectiveness testing is performed using a signal source a measuring instrument such as a spectrum analyser a transmit antenna and receive antenna. An oversimplified explanation would be as follows.

The first stage is to measure a reference in free space conditions with the antennas spaced apart and directed at each other.

This is followed by a measurement with one antenna in the enclosure and the other antenna outside the enclosure maintaining the spacing and directivity of the antennas.

The difference in the values would be the shielding effectiveness of the chamber or enclosure.

Effective Uses of Electromagnetic Shielding

To minimise the amount of electromagnetic radiation or interference that EMI emitting products emit into the environment. The active electronics should be enclosed within a ‘Faraday cage’.

What are the Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation?

There are certain types of electromagnetic radiation that can be harmful to us. You may not be fully aware of it but on a daily basis. But we use objects and appliances that give off such energy. This energy may potentially be damaging to us.